PC experienced an unexpected crash while playing.
PC experienced an unexpected crash while playing.
Hello! I experienced an unusual crash recently, which is why I thought it worth sharing here. If anyone can help identify whether it was a hardware or software issue, please let me know.
OS: Windows 11 Pro
GPU: Palit RTX 3070 GamingPro OC
CPU: Ryzen 9 5900X
RAM: 2x16 GB 3200 mhz
Storage: Asus Prime B550 M-K
Power Supply: 80 Plus 750W
SSD: Intel 660p NVMe 512 GB
HDD: 1 TB 7200 RPM
While playing Vermintide 2, my system didn’t use the hardware at its maximum capacity. The GPU was consuming around 40-70% with a power draw of 130-160 watts, and the CPU was using about 20-30%. The PC suddenly crashed after entering the leaderboard menu, which typically used even less GPU power. The crash resulted in a black screen with the "No Signal" message, indicating the system was unresponsive—no sound, no image, just that message. Although the PC remained operational, I attempted to force restart by pressing the case button multiple times, but it didn’t work. After several tries, I clicked it three times after waiting each time to check for any reaction. Once fans increased in speed, a forced reboot didn’t resolve the issue, so I tried powering off the PC completely and then restarting it. It booted up normally on Windows.
After recovery, I updated Windows and GPU drivers. Then, I stress-tested the GPU with a 3D benchmark for about 30-40 minutes under full load, which functioned correctly.
I also reinstalled Easy Anti Cheat for the game, suspecting it might be causing the EAC problems I’ve faced before. The GPU used around 240 watts in full load, but crashed during gameplay when usage dropped to about 130 watts to 160 watts. It was using less power on the leaderboard screen, so I expected even lower consumption there.
I’m wondering if this could be a software-related problem—such as driver or anti-cheat issues. I checked the reliability history and Event Viewer, but no logs recorded anything unusual. I also looked into the game’s crash log folder, but nothing stood out.
Thank you for any insights on this matter. If anyone has encountered a similar issue before, please share your experience. It would be helpful to know whether it’s something that can be fixed or if it points to a hardware instability, especially since the system is only 3 years and 2-3 months old.
Additional details about EAC:
I previously had anti-cheat problems that caused random black screens and automatic restarts when launching games—occasionally during loading or mid-game. These were rare, happening every few days. I suspected hardware issues because the crashes were very suspicious. The crash logs and memory errors pointed to problems with Windows performance tests. Eventually, I found the anti-cheat was the culprit by reviewing file logs and performing a cleanup using Winsat formal in CMD.
BIOS version for your motherboard?
PSU: 80 Plus 750W
750W is the stated power rating, while 80 plus indicates the efficiency rating. What is the model and age of the PSU?
The GPU typically operates at 240 Watts under full load, it failed during around 130 to 160 Watts usage during gameplay, but it has managed to reach a leaderboard screen with lower consumption, so I assume even less GPU activity there.
You may want to monitor your GPU and CPU temperatures. Regarding cooling, how is the processor being cooled and what is the model of your case?
Thank you for your reply! The PSU model stands out because it comes from the company I purchased my PC from, they use their own power supplies, which hasn’t caused any problems so far. This might be the first one, though I’m not entirely sure yet. The BIOS is the most stable I’ve had after the Ryzen 5000 FTPM stuttering issue (version 2803). I chose to keep it as it’s been reliable for about two years. GPU temperatures during the game stay around 68, dropping below 60 (about 57), which shuts off the fans and brings the GPU back up to roughly 65-68 until it cools again. CPU temperatures are 65 with spikes between 73 and 75 when loading screens appear. Cooling is done with air, a radiator, and two Noctua fans attached to it—this setup works well. I didn’t buy a new cooler since I already had the necessary parts, but I decided to test them and they performed excellently. The case used is Kolink Obsarvatory White.
When fully loaded, the GPU can hit temperatures between 73 and 75 degrees after a period of continuous operation at maximum capacity. The CPU's peak performance across various games and benchmarks typically stays within 76 to 78 degrees. Excluding the Prime95 stress test results.